Monday, November 27, 2006

When I was in college, I took a semester of guitar lessons with Nick Bagnasco at the University of New Haven. One of the first things he did was ask me which players I liked. After some thought, I answered: Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Steve Morse and Eric Johnson. It’s been a long time since any guitar players have really impressed me to the point I’d include them on my list, the last was John Petrucci from Dream Theater. However, I’m pretty confidant in saying that I think I have a new favorite guitar player.

Not so long ago, I found a video of Andy Timmons on YouTube playing his song Farmer Sez…and I was just blown away. The song itself is a cool little “Chicken-Pickin” piece, but he and his band manage to play it way over the top by accelerating the tune to match how loud the audience gets. I just kept watching this thing, thinking that eventually someone had to screw it up. But no one ever did, it just kept going faster and faster.

I first heard of Andy Timmons in 1989 when he played on Danger Danger’s self-titled debut album, so I was kind of surprised that I had missed out on whatever had gotten him on stage for that performance. As it turns out, Andy Timmons had released several albums by that point, and his most recent, Resolution, was just released on Favored Nations (Steve Vai’s record label). I happened to see Resolution at my usual music spot on the web a few weeks ago, and decided it was about time to check out Andy Timmons a little more closely.

So, what did I think? Like I said, I think I have a new favorite guitar player.

As a player, Andy Timmons manages to take the familiar aspects of the Instrumental Guitar genre and mix it with the structure of a more commercial band setting to actually write songs. His leads are lyrical in their melody, finding both verse and chorus as opposed to one blaring solo track. On Resolution, Timmons’ tone is also outstanding, with a really crunchy and fuzzy voice that manages to still be cutting and clear at the same time.

As a whole, Resolution is an outstanding guitar album with eleven tracks that just rip from start to finish. I, personally, didn’t find one weak track; they were all unique and ranged from the bombastic to the delicate while holding on to their feeling. If guitar acrobatics are your thing, you won’t be disappointed…there is more than enough “Shred” on Resolution to make your technique loving head spin, however I didn’t feel that any of the songs were overplayed. All the lines were tasty and fit the moment they were written for. For the times on Resolution where speed is at a minimum, Timmons shows that he’s more than capable of restraint and a subtle hand.

I found Resolution by the Andy Timmons Band to be a near perfect album for the genre. It’s loaded with feeling, technique and speed; not to mention a great sounding and playing band with cool songs. What more could you want?

The Tribe Is One

About Me

I was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1972 which I believe puts me into the year of the Rat were I Chinese. I’m not, but even if I were I don’t know how I’d really feel about that. Let’s face it, the best thing about those place mats in Chinese restaurants is that someone has officially called my father a Cock and lived to tell about it. I, with great foresight on the part of my parents, was also born on May fifth or, as it’s commonly known to frat boys and my Mexican brothers and sisters, Cinco de Mayo. Little did I know as a child that I had the great fortune to share a birthday with the day the Mexican militia decided to whoop up on the French army in The Battle Of Puebla back in 1862 and not the Mexican Day of Independence…which certain tequila manufactures named Jose could care less if you knew about at all. The actual Mexican Day of Independence is September 16th. I kid you not, look it up if you don’t believe me.